Search for an Optimized Read Voltage

ABSTRACT

A memory device to search for a voltage optimized to read a group of memory cells. In response to a read command, the memory device measures first signal and noise characteristics of the memory cells by reading the memory cells at first test voltages. Based on the first signal and noise characteristics, the memory device may determine that the optimized read voltage is outside of a range of the first test voltages. In response, the memory device determines, based on the first signal and noise characteristics, an estimate of the optimized read voltage, and measures second signal and noise characteristics by reading at second test voltages configured around the estimate. The optimized read voltage can be computed based at least in part on the second signal and noise characteristics. The memory device retrieves data from the memory cells using the optimized read voltage.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/988,327 filed Aug. 7, 2020, the entiredisclosures of which application are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

At least some embodiments disclosed herein relate to memory systems ingeneral, and more particularly, but not limited to memory systemsconfigured to search for an optimized voltage for reading data frommemory cells.

BACKGROUND

A memory sub-system can include one or more memory devices that storedata. The memory devices can be, for example, non-volatile memorydevices and volatile memory devices. In general, a host system canutilize a memory sub-system to store data at the memory devices and toretrieve data from the memory devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation inthe figures of the accompanying drawings in which like referencesindicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example computing system having a memorysub-system in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an integrated circuit memory device having acalibration circuit configured to measure signal and noisecharacteristics according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an example of measuring signal and noise characteristics toimprove memory operations according to one embodiment.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a technique to compute an optimized read voltagefrom count differences according to one embodiment.

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate techniques to search for an optimized read voltageaccording to some embodiments.

FIG. 10 shows a method to search for an optimized read voltage forreading a group of memory cells according to one embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example computer system in whichembodiments of the present disclosure can operate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

At least some aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a memorysub-system configured to search for, in an efficient way, an optimizedvoltage for reading a group of memory cells based on signal and noisecharacteristics of the group of memory cells. Examples of storagedevices and memory modules are described below in conjunction withFIG. 1. In general, a host system can utilize a memory sub-system thatincludes one or more components, such as memory devices that store data.The host system can provide data to be stored at the memory sub-systemand can request data to be retrieved from the memory sub-system.

An integrated circuit memory cell (e.g., a flash memory cell) can beprogrammed to store data by the way of its state at a threshold voltage.For example, if the memory cell is configured/programmed in a state thatallows a substantial current to pass the memory cell at the thresholdvoltage, the memory cell is storing a bit of one; and otherwise, thememory cell is storing a bit of zero. Further, a memory cell can storemultiple bits of data by being configured/programmed differently atmultiple threshold voltages. For example, the memory cell can storemultiple bits of data by having a combination of states at the multiplethreshold voltages; and different combinations of the states of thememory cell at the threshold voltages can be interpreted to representdifferent states of bits of data that is stored in the memory cell.

However, after the states of integrated circuit memory cells areconfigured/programmed using write operations to store data in the memorycells, the optimized threshold voltage for reading the memory cells canshift due to a number of factors, such as charge loss, read disturb,cross-temperature effect (e.g., write and read at different operatingtemperatures), etc., especially when a memory cell is programmed tostore multiple bits of data.

Data can be encoded with redundant information to facilitate errordetection and recovery. When data encoded with redundant information isstored in a memory sub-system, the memory sub-system can detect errorsin raw, encoded data retrieved from the memory sub-system and/or recoverthe original, non-encoded data that is used to generated encoded datafor storing in the memory sub-system. The recovery operation can besuccessful (or have a high probability of success) when the raw, encodeddata retrieved from the memory sub-system contains less than a thresholdamount of errors, or the bit error rate in the encoded data is lowerthan a threshold. For example, error detection and data recovery can beperformed using techniques such as Error Correction Code (ECC),Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code, etc.

When the encoded data retrieved from the memory cells of the memorysub-system has too many errors for successful decoding, the memorysub-system may retry the execution of the read command with adjustedparameters for reading the memory cells. However, it is inefficient tosearch for a set of parameters through multiple read retry with multiplerounds of calibration, reading, decoding failure, and retry, until theencoded data retrieved from the memory cells can be decoded into errorfree data. For example, blind searching for the optimized read voltagesis inefficient. For example, one or more commands being injected betweenretry reads can lead to long latency for recovering data from errors.

Conventional calibration circuitry has been used to self-calibrate amemory region in applying read level signals to account for shift ofthreshold voltages of memory cells within the memory region. During thecalibration, the calibration circuitry is configured to apply differenttest signals to the memory region to count the numbers of memory cellsthat output a specified data state for the test signals. Based on thecounts, the calibration circuitry determines a read level offset valueas a response to a calibration command.

At least some aspects of the present disclosure address the above andother deficiencies by searching for, in an efficient way, a voltageoptimized to read a group of memory cells.

For example, in response to a read command, a memory device can measuresignal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cells in a testvoltage range.

When the voltage optimized to read a group of memory cells is determinedto be within the test voltage range, the memory device calculates theoptimized read voltage from the signal and noise characteristics of thegroup of memory cells measured in the test voltage range.

When the voltage optimized to read a group of memory cells is determinedto be outside of the test voltage range, the memory device estimates alocation of the next test voltage range for the search of the optimizedread voltage. For example, the location of the next test voltage rangecan be estimated based on the signal and noise characteristics of thegroup of memory cells measured in the current test voltage range toimprove the efficiency in searching for the optimized read voltage.

After the signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cellsare measured in the next test voltage range, the optimized read voltageis likely to be in the next test voltage range and thus can becalculated from the signal and noise characteristics of the group ofmemory cells measured in the next test voltage range.

Optionally, the signal and noise characteristics of the group of memorycells measured in the current test range can be stored in the memorydevice such that the optimized read voltage can be calculated from acombination of the signal and noise characteristics of the group ofmemory cells measured in both the current and next test voltage ranges.

In some instances, when the optimized read voltage is again determinedto be outside of the next test voltage range, the combination of themeasured signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cellsin various test voltage ranges can be used to calculate an improvedestimate of the location of the optimized read voltage in the furthersearch of the optimized read voltage.

For example, in response to a command from a controller of a memorysub-system, a memory device can automatically calibrate a voltage forreading a group of memory cells based on signal and noisecharacteristics measured for memory cells. The signal and noisecharacteristics measured for memory cells can be based on a bit count ofmemory cells in the group having a predetermined status when a testvoltage is applied to read the memory cells. Different test voltagesthat are separated from one another by a predetermined voltage intervalor gap can have different bit counts. The difference between bit countsof two adjacent test voltages provides the count difference for thevoltage interval or gap between the adjacent test voltages. An optimizedread voltage can be found at a voltage where the distribution of thecount differences over voltage reaches a minimum.

When one of the count differences is smaller than its two adjacentneighbors, a minimum can be determined to be in the voltage interval orgap of the smallest count difference. An improved location of theoptimized read voltage within the gap can be computed based on a ratioof adjacent neighbors, as further discussed below in connection withFIG. 5.

When no count difference is between two higher adjacent neighbors, theoptimized read voltage can be identified as in a voltage interval or gapcorresponding to a count difference that is smaller than two of the nexttwo count differences. An improved location of the optimized readvoltage within the gap can be computed based on a ratio of bit counts atthe test voltages of the two ends of the gap, as further discussed belowin connection with FIG. 6.

When the optimized read voltage cannot be determined according to FIGS.5 and 6, it can be concluded that the optimized read voltage is locatedoutside of the test voltage range. In response, the distribution of thecount differences in the test range can be used to estimate a locationof the optimized read voltage. The calibration can then be repeatedbased on the estimated location of the optimize read voltage. Inrepeating the calibration, the test voltages are configured around theestimated location of the optimize read voltage. Thus, the estimatedlocation of the optimize read voltage identifies a preferred directionand step size in searching for the optimized read voltage.

For example, the location of the optimized read voltage outside of atest voltage range can be estimated using an extrapolation techniquebased on the count differences measured within the test voltage range.

After an optimized read voltage is calculated (e.g., using techniquesillustrated in FIGS. 3-6), the memory device can use the optimized readvoltage to read memory cells and obtain hard bit data, and optionallyboost modulating the applied read voltage(s) to adjacent voltages tofurther read the memory cells for soft bit data.

Preferably, the operations of reading the hard bit data and reading thesoft bit data are scheduled together during the execution of the readcommand to minimize the time required to obtain the soft bit data and/orto avoid delay that can be caused by processing a separate read command,or by intervening operations on the memory cells.

Optionally, the signal and noise characteristics measured for memorycells are further used to evaluate the quality of the hard bit dataretrieved using the calibrated read voltage(s). The evaluation can beperformed at least in part concurrently with the reading of the hard bitdata. Based on the evaluated quality of the hard bit data, the memorydevice may selectively read and/or transmit the soft bit data.

The hard bit data retrieved from a group of memory cells using thecalibrated/optimized read voltage can be decoded using an errordetection and data recovery technique, such as Error Correction Code(ECC), Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code, etc. When the error rate inthe hard bit data is high, the soft bit data, retrieved from the memorycell using read voltages with predetermined offsets from thecalibrated/optimized read voltage, can be used to assist the decoding ofthe hard bit data. When the soft bit data is used, the error recoverycapability is improved in decoding the hard bit data.

Optionally, a controller of a memory sub-system can initially send acommand to a memory device to read hard bit data with calibrated readvoltage; and in response to a failure in the decoding of the hard bitdata, the controller can further send a command to the memory device toread the corresponding soft bit data. Such an implementation isefficient when the likelihood of a failure in decoding the hard bit datawithout soft bit data is lower than a threshold. However, when thelikelihood is above the threshold, the overhead of sending the separatecommand becomes disadvantageous.

When the likelihood of using soft bit data is above a threshold, it isadvantageous to transmit a single command to the memory device to causethe memory device to read the soft bit data and the hard bit datatogether. Further, the memory device can use the signal and noisecharacteristics of the memory cells to predict whether the soft bit datais likely to be used by the controller. If the likelihood of using ofthe soft bit data is lower than a threshold, the memory device can skipreading the soft bit data.

For example, during the calibration operation, the memory device canmeasure the signal and noise characteristics of the memory cells and usethe measurements to calculate an optimized/calibrated read voltage forreading the memory cells. Once the optimized/calibrated read voltage isobtained, the memory device reads the memory cells to obtain the hardbit data. Subsequently, the memory device adjusts the already appliedoptimized/calibrated read voltage (e.g., through boosted modulation) toa predetermined offset (e.g., 50 mV) below the optimized/calibrated readvoltage to retrieve a set of data, and further adjusts the currentlyapplied voltage (e.g., through boosted modulation) to the predeterminedoffset above the optimized/calibrated read voltage to retrieve anotherset of data. The logic operation of XOR (exclusive or) of the two setsof data at the both sides of the offset (e.g., 50 mV) from theoptimized/calibrated read voltage provides the indication of whether thememory cells provide the same reading at the offset locations around theoptimized/calibrated read voltage. The result of the XOR operation canbe used as soft bit data for decoding the hard bit data read using theoptimized/calibrated read voltage. In some implementations, a largeroffset (e.g., 90 mV) can be used to read another set of soft bit datathat indicates whether the memory cells provide the same reading at thelocations according to the larger offset (e.g., 90 mV) around theoptimized/calibrated read voltage.

For example, in response to a read command from a controller of thememory sub-system, a memory device of the memory sub-system performs anoperation to calibrate a read voltage of memory cells. The calibrationis performed by measuring signal and noise characteristics throughreading the memory cells at a number of voltage levels that are near anestimated location of the optimized read voltage. An optimized readvoltage can be calculated based on statistical data of the resultsgenerated from reading the memory cells at the voltage levels. Forexample, the statistical data can include and/or can be based on countsmeasured by calibration circuitry at the voltage levels. Optionally,such signal and noise characteristics can be measured for sub-regions inparallel to reduce the total time for measuring the signal and noisecharacteristics. The statistical data of the results generated fromreading the memory cells at the voltage levels can be used to predictwhether the decoding of the hard bit data retrieved using the optimizedread voltage is likely to require the use of soft bit data forsuccessful decoding. Thus, the transmission of the soft bit data can beperformed selectively based on the prediction.

For example, a predictive model can be generated through machinelearning to estimate or evaluate the quality of data that can beretrieved from a set of memory cells using the calibrated/optimized readvoltage(s). The predictive model can use features calculated from themeasured signal and noise characteristics of the memory cells as inputto generate a prediction. The reading and/or transmission of the softbit data can be selectively skipped based on the prediction.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example computing system 100 that includes amemory sub-system 110 in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The memory sub-system 110 can include media, such as one ormore volatile memory devices (e.g., memory device 140), one or morenon-volatile memory devices (e.g., memory device 130), or a combinationof such.

A memory sub-system 110 can be a storage device, a memory module, or ahybrid of a storage device and memory module. Examples of a storagedevice include a solid-state drive (SSD), a flash drive, a universalserial bus (USB) flash drive, an embedded Multi-Media Controller (eMMC)drive, a Universal Flash Storage (UFS) drive, a secure digital (SD)card, and a hard disk drive (HDD). Examples of memory modules include adual in-line memory module (DIMM), a small outline DIMM (SO-DIMM), andvarious types of non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM).

The computing system 100 can be a computing device such as a desktopcomputer, a laptop computer, a network server, a mobile device, avehicle (e.g., airplane, drone, train, automobile, or other conveyance),an Internet of Things (IoT) enabled device, am embedded computer (e.g.,one included in a vehicle, industrial equipment, or a networkedcommercial device), or such a computing device that includes memory anda processing device.

The computing system 100 can include a host system 120 that is coupledto one or more memory sub-systems 110. FIG. 1 illustrates one example ofa host system 120 coupled to one memory sub-system 110. As used herein,“coupled to” or “coupled with” generally refers to a connection betweencomponents, which can be an indirect communicative connection or directcommunicative connection (e.g., without intervening components), whetherwired or wireless, including connections such as electrical, optical,magnetic, etc.

The host system 120 can include a processor chipset (e.g., processingdevice 118) and a software stack executed by the processor chipset. Theprocessor chipset can include one or more cores, one or more caches, amemory controller (e.g., controller 116) (e.g., NVDIMM controller), anda storage protocol controller (e.g., PCIe controller, SATA controller).The host system 120 uses the memory sub-system 110, for example, towrite data to the memory sub-system 110 and read data from the memorysub-system 110.

The host system 120 can be coupled to the memory sub-system 110 via aphysical host interface. Examples of a physical host interface include,but are not limited to, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)interface, a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) interface,a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a Fibre Channel, a SerialAttached SCSI (SAS) interface, a double data rate (DDR) memory businterface, a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), a dual in-linememory module (DIMM) interface (e.g., DIMM socket interface thatsupports Double Data Rate (DDR)), an Open NAND Flash Interface (ONFI), aDouble Data Rate (DDR) interface, a Low Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR)interface, or any other interface. The physical host interface can beused to transmit data between the host system 120 and the memorysub-system 110. The host system 120 can further utilize an NVM Express(NVMe) interface to access components (e.g., memory devices 130) whenthe memory sub-system 110 is coupled with the host system 120 by thePCIe interface. The physical host interface can provide an interface forpassing control, address, data, and other signals between the memorysub-system 110 and the host system 120. FIG. 1 illustrates a memorysub-system 110 as an example. In general, the host system 120 can accessmultiple memory sub-systems via a same communication connection,multiple separate communication connections, and/or a combination ofcommunication connections.

The processing device 118 of the host system 120 can be, for example, amicroprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a processing core of aprocessor, an execution unit, etc. In some instances, the controller 116can be referred to as a memory controller, a memory management unit,and/or an initiator. In one example, the controller 116 controls thecommunications over a bus coupled between the host system 120 and thememory sub-system 110. In general, the controller 116 can send commandsor requests to the memory sub-system 110 for desired access to memorydevices 130, 140. The controller 116 can further include interfacecircuitry to communicate with the memory sub-system 110. The interfacecircuitry can convert responses received from memory sub-system 110 intoinformation for the host system 120.

The controller 116 of the host system 120 can communicate withcontroller 115 of the memory sub-system 110 to perform operations suchas reading data, writing data, or erasing data at the memory devices130, 140 and other such operations. In some instances, the controller116 is integrated within the same package of the processing device 118.In other instances, the controller 116 is separate from the package ofthe processing device 118. The controller 116 and/or the processingdevice 118 can include hardware such as one or more integrated circuits(ICs) and/or discrete components, a buffer memory, a cache memory, or acombination thereof. The controller 116 and/or the processing device 118can be a microcontroller, special purpose logic circuitry (e.g., a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), etc.), or another suitable processor.

The memory devices 130, 140 can include any combination of the differenttypes of non-volatile memory components and/or volatile memorycomponents. The volatile memory devices (e.g., memory device 140) canbe, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), such as dynamicrandom access memory (DRAM) and synchronous dynamic random access memory(SDRAM).

Some examples of non-volatile memory components include a negative-and(or, NOT AND) (NAND) type flash memory and write-in-place memory, suchas three-dimensional cross-point (“3D cross-point”) memory. Across-point array of non-volatile memory can perform bit storage basedon a change of bulk resistance, in conjunction with a stackablecross-gridded data access array. Additionally, in contrast to manyflash-based memories, cross-point non-volatile memory can perform awrite in-place operation, where a non-volatile memory cell can beprogrammed without the non-volatile memory cell being previously erased.NAND type flash memory includes, for example, two-dimensional NAND (2DNAND) and three-dimensional NAND (3D NAND).

Each of the memory devices 130 can include one or more arrays of memorycells. One type of memory cell, for example, single level cells (SLC)can store one bit per cell. Other types of memory cells, such asmulti-level cells (MLCs), triple level cells (TLCs), quad-level cells(QLCs), and penta-level cells (PLCs) can store multiple bits per cell.In some embodiments, each of the memory devices 130 can include one ormore arrays of memory cells such as SLCs, MLCs, TLCs, QLCs, PLCs, or anycombination of such. In some embodiments, a particular memory device caninclude an SLC portion, an MLC portion, a TLC portion, a QLC portion,and/or a PLC portion of memory cells. The memory cells of the memorydevices 130 can be grouped as pages that can refer to a logical unit ofthe memory device used to store data. With some types of memory (e.g.,NAND), pages can be grouped to form blocks.

Although non-volatile memory devices such as 3D cross-point type andNAND type memory (e.g., 2D NAND, 3D NAND) are described, the memorydevice 130 can be based on any other type of non-volatile memory, suchas read-only memory (ROM), phase change memory (PCM), self-selectingmemory, other chalcogenide based memories, ferroelectric transistorrandom-access memory (FeTRAM), ferroelectric random access memory(FeRAM), magneto random access memory (MRAM), Spin Transfer Torque(STT)-MRAM, conductive bridging RAM (CBRAM), resistive random accessmemory (RRAM), oxide based RRAM (OxRAM), negative-or (NOR) flash memory,and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

A memory sub-system controller 115 (or controller 115 for simplicity)can communicate with the memory devices 130 to perform operations suchas reading data, writing data, or erasing data at the memory devices 130and other such operations (e.g., in response to commands scheduled on acommand bus by controller 116). The controller 115 can include hardwaresuch as one or more integrated circuits (ICs) and/or discretecomponents, a buffer memory, or a combination thereof. The hardware caninclude digital circuitry with dedicated (i.e., hard-coded) logic toperform the operations described herein. The controller 115 can be amicrocontroller, special purpose logic circuitry (e.g., a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), etc.), or another suitable processor.

The controller 115 can include a processing device 117 (processor)configured to execute instructions stored in a local memory 119. In theillustrated example, the local memory 119 of the controller 115 includesan embedded memory configured to store instructions for performingvarious processes, operations, logic flows, and routines that controloperation of the memory sub-system 110, including handlingcommunications between the memory sub-system 110 and the host system120.

In some embodiments, the local memory 119 can include memory registersstoring memory pointers, fetched data, etc. The local memory 119 canalso include read-only memory (ROM) for storing micro-code. While theexample memory sub-system 110 in FIG. 1 has been illustrated asincluding the controller 115, in another embodiment of the presentdisclosure, a memory sub-system 110 does not include a controller 115,and can instead rely upon external control (e.g., provided by anexternal host, or by a processor or controller separate from the memorysub-system).

In general, the controller 115 can receive commands or operations fromthe host system 120 and can convert the commands or operations intoinstructions or appropriate commands to achieve the desired access tothe memory devices 130. The controller 115 can be responsible for otheroperations such as wear leveling operations, garbage collectionoperations, error detection and error-correcting code (ECC) operations,encryption operations, caching operations, and address translationsbetween a logical address (e.g., logical block address (LBA), namespace)and a physical address (e.g., physical block address) that areassociated with the memory devices 130. The controller 115 can furtherinclude host interface circuitry to communicate with the host system 120via the physical host interface. The host interface circuitry canconvert the commands received from the host system into commandinstructions to access the memory devices 130 as well as convertresponses associated with the memory devices 130 into information forthe host system 120.

The memory sub-system 110 can also include additional circuitry orcomponents that are not illustrated. In some embodiments, the memorysub-system 110 can include a cache or buffer (e.g., DRAM) and addresscircuitry (e.g., a row decoder and a column decoder) that can receive anaddress from the controller 115 and decode the address to access thememory devices 130.

In some embodiments, the memory devices 130 include local mediacontrollers 150 that operate in conjunction with memory sub-systemcontroller 115 to execute operations on one or more memory cells of thememory devices 130. An external controller (e.g., memory sub-systemcontroller 115) can externally manage the memory device 130 (e.g.,perform media management operations on the memory device 130). In someembodiments, a memory device 130 is a managed memory device, which is araw memory device combined with a local controller (e.g., localcontroller 150) for media management within the same memory devicepackage. An example of a managed memory device is a managed NAND (MNAND)device.

The controller 115 and/or a memory device 130 can include a read manager113 configured to search and/or calculate, based on signal and noisecharacteristics of a group of memory cells, a voltage optimized forreading the group of memory cells. In some embodiments, the controller115 in the memory sub-system 110 includes at least a portion of the readmanager 113. In other embodiments, or in combination, the controller 116and/or the processing device 118 in the host system 120 includes atleast a portion of the read manager 113. For example, the controller115, the controller 116, and/or the processing device 118 can includelogic circuitry implementing the read manager 113. For example, thecontroller 115, or the processing device 118 (processor) of the hostsystem 120, can be configured to execute instructions stored in memoryfor performing the operations of the read manager 113 described herein.In some embodiments, the read manager 113 is implemented in anintegrated circuit chip disposed in the memory sub-system 110. In otherembodiments, the read manager 113 can be part of firmware of the memorysub-system 110, an operating system of the host system 120, a devicedriver, or an application, or any combination therein.

For example, the read manager 113 implemented in the controller 115 cantransmit a read command or a calibration command to the memory device130. In response to such a command, the read manager 113 implemented inthe memory device 130 is configured to measure signal and noisecharacteristics of a group of memory cells by reading the group ofmemory cells at a plurality of test voltages configured near anestimated location of the optimized read voltage for the group of memorycells. The test voltages can be configured to be equally spaced by asame amount of voltage gap. A result of reading the group of memorycells at a test voltage determines a bit count of memory cells in thegroup that are determined to be storing or reporting a predetermined bit(e.g., 0 or 1 corresponding to memory cells being conductive ornon-conductive at the test voltage) when the group is read at the testvoltage. A count difference can be computed from the bit counts of eachpair of adjacent test voltages. The read manager 113 compares the countdifference to identify a voltage interval that contains an optimizedread voltage and then estimates a location in the voltage interval forthe optimized read voltage based on comparing the bit counts or countdifferences that are closest to the voltage interval. The estimatedlocation can be used as the optimized read voltage to read hard bitdata; and voltages having predetermined offsets from the optimized readvoltage can be used to read soft bit data. In some instances, theoptimized read voltage is outside of the range of the test voltages. Insuch situations, the read manager 113 estimates a location of theoptimized read voltage for a direction and voltage step to search forthe optimized read voltage. The estimation can be performed based on themeasured bit counts for the current set of test voltages. The next setof test voltages can be configured around the estimated location of theoptimized read voltage.

FIG. 2 illustrates an integrated circuit memory device 130 having acalibration circuit 145 configured to measure signal and noisecharacteristics according to one embodiment. For example, the memorydevices 130 in the memory sub-system 110 of FIG. 1 can be implementedusing the integrated circuit memory device 130 of FIG. 2.

The integrated circuit memory device 130 can be enclosed in a singleintegrated circuit package. The integrated circuit memory device 130includes multiple groups 131, . . . , 133 of memory cells that can beformed in one or more integrated circuit dies. A typical memory cell ina group 131, . . . , 133 can be programmed to store one or more bits ofdata.

Some of the memory cells in the integrated circuit memory device 130 canbe configured to be operated together for a particular type ofoperations. For example, memory cells on an integrated circuit die canbe organized in planes, blocks, and pages. A plane contains multipleblocks; a block contains multiple pages; and a page can have multiplestrings of memory cells. For example, an integrated circuit die can bethe smallest unit that can independently execute commands or reportstatus; identical, concurrent operations can be executed in parallel onmultiple planes in an integrated circuit die; a block can be thesmallest unit to perform an erase operation; and a page can be thesmallest unit to perform a data program operation (to write data intomemory cells). Each string has its memory cells connected to a commonbitline; and the control gates of the memory cells at the same positionsin the strings in a block or page are connected to a common wordline.Control signals can be applied to wordlines and bitlines to address theindividual memory cells.

The integrated circuit memory device 130 has a communication interface147 to receive a command having an address 135 from the controller 115of a memory sub-system 110, retrieve both hard bit data 177 and soft bitdata 173 from the memory address 135, and provide at least the hard bitdata 177 as a response to the command. An address decoder 141 of theintegrated circuit memory device 130 converts the address 135 intocontrol signals to select a group of memory cells in the integratedcircuit memory device 130; and a read/write circuit 143 of theintegrated circuit memory device 130 performs operations to determinethe hard bit data 177 and the soft bit data 173 of memory cells at theaddress 135.

The integrated circuit memory device 130 has a calibration circuit 145configured to determine measurements of signal and noise characteristics139 of memory cells in a group (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133). For example,the statistics of memory cells in a group or region that has aparticular state at one or more test voltages can be measured todetermine the signal and noise characteristics 139. Optionally, thesignal and noise characteristics 139 can be provided by the memorydevice 130 to the controller 115 of a memory sub-system 110 via thecommunication interface 147.

In at least some embodiments, the calibration circuit 145 determines theoptimized read voltage(s) of the group of memory cells based on thesignal and noise characteristics 139. In some embodiments, the signaland noise characteristics 139 are further used in the calibrationcircuit 145 to determine whether the error rate in the hard bit data 177is sufficiently high such that it is preferred to decode the hard bitdata 177 in combination with the soft bit data 173 using a sophisticateddecoder. When the use of the soft bit data 173 is predicted, based onthe prediction/classification of the error rate in the hard bit data177, the read manager 113 can transmit both the soft bit data 173 andthe hard bit data 177 to the controller 115 of the memory sub-system110.

For example, the calibration circuit 145 can measure the signal andnoise characteristics 139 by reading different responses from the memorycells in a group (e.g., 131, . . . , 133) by varying operatingparameters used to read the memory cells, such as the voltage(s) appliedduring an operation to read data from memory cells.

For example, the calibration circuit 145 can measure the signal andnoise characteristics 139 on the fly when executing a command to readthe hard bit data 177 and the soft bit data 173 from the address 135.Since the signal and noise characteristics 139 is measured as part ofthe operation to read the hard bit data 177 from the address 135, thesignal and noise characteristics 139 can be used in the read manager 113with reduced or no penalty on the latency in the execution of thecommand to read the hard bit data 177 from the address 135.

The read manager 113 of the memory device 130 is configured to use thesignal and noise characteristics 139 to determine the voltages used toread memory cells identified by the address 135 for both hard bit dataand soft bit data and to determine whether to transmit the soft bit datato the memory sub-system controller 115.

For example, the read manager 113 can use a predictive model, trainedvia machine learning, to predict the likelihood of the hard bit data 177retrieved from a group of memory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) failinga test of data integrity. The prediction can be made based on the signaland noise characteristics 139. Before the test is made usingerror-correcting code (ECC) and/or low-density parity-check (LDPC) code,or even before the hard bit data 177 is transferred to a decoder, theread manager 113 uses the signal and noise characteristics 139 topredict the result of the test. Based on the predicted result of thetest, the read manager 113 determines whether to transmit the soft bitdata to the memory sub-system controller 115 in a response to thecommand.

For example, if the hard bit data 177 is predicted to decode using alow-power decoder that uses hard bit data 177 without using the soft bitdata 173, the read manager 113 can skip the transmission of the soft bitdata 173 to the memory sub-system controller 115; and the read manager113 provides the hard bit data 177, read from the memory cells usingoptimized read voltages calculated from the signal and noisecharacteristics 139, for decoding by the low-power decoder. For example,the low-power decoder can be implemented in the memory sub-systemcontroller 115. Alternatively, the low-power decoder can be implementedin the memory device 130; and the read manager 113 can provide theresult of the lower-power decoder to the memory sub-system controller115 as the response to the received command.

For example, if the hard bit data 177 is predicted to fail in decodingin the low-power decoder but can be decoded using a high-power decoderthat uses both hard bit data and soft bit data, the read manager 113 candecide to provide both the hard bit data 177 and the soft bit data 173for decoding by the high-power decoder. For example, the high-powerdecoder can be implemented in the controller 115. Alternatively, thehigh-power decoder can be implemented in the memory device 130.

Optionally, if the hard bit data 177 is predicted to fail in decoding indecoders available in the memory sub-system 110, the read manager 113can decide to skip transmitting the hard bit data 177 to the memorysub-system controller 115, initiate a read retry immediately, such thatwhen the memory sub-system controller 115 requests a read retry, atleast a portion of the read retry operations is performed to reduce thetime for responding to the request from the memory sub-system controller115 for a read retry. For example, during the read retry, the readmanager 113 instructs the calibration circuit 145 to perform a modifiedcalibration to obtain a new set of signal and noise characteristics 139,which can be further used to determine improved read voltages.

The data from the memory cells identified by the address (135) caninclude hard bit data 177 and soft bit data 173. The hard bit data 177is retrieved using optimized read voltages. The hard bit data 177identifies the states of the memory cells that are programmed to storedata and subsequently detected in view of changes caused by factors,such as charge loss, read disturb, cross-temperature effect (e.g., writeand read at different operating temperatures), etc. The soft bit data173 is obtained by reading the memory cells using read voltages centeredat each optimized read voltage with a predetermined offset from thecenter, optimized read voltage. The XOR of the read results at the readvoltages having the offset indicates whether the memory cells providedifferent read results at the read voltages having the offset. The softbit data 173 can include the XOR results. In some instances, one set ofXOR results is obtained based on a smaller offset; and another set ofXOR results is obtained based on a larger offset. In general, multiplesets of XOR results can be obtained for multiple offsets, where eachrespective offset is used to determine a lower read voltage and a higherread voltage such that both the lower and higher read voltages have thesame respective offset from an optimized read voltage to determine theXOR results.

FIG. 3 shows an example of measuring signal and noise characteristics139 to improve memory operations according to one embodiment.

In FIG. 3, the calibration circuit 145 applies different read voltagesV_(A), V_(B), V_(C), V_(D), and V_(E) to read the states of memory cellsin a group (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133). In general, more or less readvoltages can be used to generate the signal and noise characteristics139.

As a result of the different voltages applied during the read operation,a same memory cell in the group (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133) may showdifferent states. Thus, the counts C_(A), C_(B), C_(C), C_(D), and C_(E)of memory cells having a predetermined state at different read voltagesV_(A), V_(B), V_(C), V_(D), and V_(E) can be different in general. Thepredetermined state can be a state of having substantial current passingthrough the memory cells, or a state of having no substantial currentpassing through the memory cells. The counts C_(A), C_(B), C_(C), C_(D),and C_(E) can be referred to as bit counts.

The calibration circuit 145 can measure the bit counts by applying theread voltages V_(A), V_(B), V_(C), V_(D), and V_(E) one at a time on thegroup (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133) of memory cells.

Alternatively, the group (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133) of memory cells canbe configured as multiple subgroups; and the calibration circuit 145 canmeasure the bit counts of the subgroups in parallel by applying the readvoltages V_(A), V_(B), V_(C), V_(D), and V_(E). The bit counts of thesubgroups are considered as representative of the bit counts in theentire group (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133). Thus, the time duration ofobtaining the counts C_(A), C_(B), C_(C), C_(D), and C_(E) can bereduced.

In some embodiments, the bit counts C_(A), C_(B), C_(C), C_(D), andC_(E) are measured during the execution of a command to read the datafrom the address 135 that is mapped to one or more memory cells in thegroup (e.g., 131, . . . , or 133). Thus, the controller 115 does notneed to send a separate command to request for the signal and noisecharacteristics 139 that is based on the bit counts C_(A), C_(B), C_(C),C_(D), and C_(E).

The differences between the bit counts of the adjacent voltages areindicative of the errors in reading the states of the memory cells inthe group (e.g., 133, . . . , or 133).

For example, the count difference D_(A) is calculated from C_(A)−C_(B),which is an indication of read threshold error introduced by changingthe read voltage from V_(A) to V_(B).

Similarly, D_(B)=C_(B)−C_(C); D_(C)=C_(C)−C_(D); and D_(D)=C_(C)−C_(E).

The curve 157, obtained based on the count differences D_(A), D_(B),D_(C), and D_(D), represents the prediction of read threshold error E asa function of the read voltage. From the curve 157 (and/or the countdifferences), the optimized read voltage V_(O) can be calculated as thepoint 153 that provides the lowest read threshold error D_(MIN) on thecurve 157.

In one embodiment, the calibration circuit 145 computes the optimizedread voltage V_(O) and causes the read/write circuit 143 to read thedata from the address 135 using the optimized read voltage V_(O).

Alternatively, the calibration circuit 145 can provide, via thecommunication interface 147 to the controller 115 of the memorysub-system 110, the count differences D_(A), D_(B), D_(C), and D_(D)and/or the optimized read voltage V_(O) calculated by the calibrationcircuit 145.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of generating a set of statistical data(e.g., bit counts and/or count differences) for reading at an optimizedread voltage V_(O). In general, a group of memory cells can beconfigured to store more than one bit in a memory cell; and multipleread voltages are used to read the data stored in the memory cells. Aset of statistical data can be similarly measured for each of the readvoltages to identify the corresponding optimized read voltage, where thetest voltages in each set of statistical data are configured in thevicinity of the expected location of the corresponding optimized readvoltage. Thus, the signal and noise characteristics 139 measured for amemory cell group (e.g., 131 or 133) can include multiple sets ofstatistical data measured for the multiple threshold voltagesrespectively.

For example, the controller 115 can instruct the memory device 130 toperform a read operation by providing an address 135 and at least oneread control parameter. For example, the read control parameter can be asuggested read voltage.

The memory device 130 can perform the read operation by determining thestates of memory cells at the address 135 at a read voltage and providethe data according to the determined states.

During the read operation, the calibration circuit 145 of the memorydevice 130 generates the signal and noise characteristics 139. The dataand the signal and noise characteristics 139 are provided from thememory device 130 to the controller 115 as a response. Alternatively,the processing of the signal and noise characteristics 139 can beperformed at least in part using logic circuitry configured in thememory device 130. For example, the processing of the signal and noisecharacteristics 139 can be implemented partially or entirely using theprocessing logic configured in the memory device 130. For example, theprocessing logic can be implemented using Complementarymetal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry formed under the array ofmemory cells on an integrated circuit die of the memory device 130. Forexample, the processing logic can be formed, within the integratedcircuit package of the memory device 130, on a separate integratedcircuit die that is connected to the integrated circuit die having thememory cells using Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) and/or other connectiontechniques.

The signal and noise characteristics 139 can be determined based atleast in part on the read control parameter. For example, when the readcontrol parameter is a suggested read voltage for reading the memorycells at the address 135, the calibration circuit 145 can compute theread voltages V_(A), V_(B), V_(C), V_(D), and V_(E) that are in thevicinity of the suggested read voltage.

The signal and noise characteristics 139 can include the bit countsC_(A), C_(B), C_(C), C_(D), and C_(E). Alternatively, or in combination,the signal and noise characteristics 139 can include the countdifferences D_(A), D_(B), D_(C), and D_(D).

Optionally, the calibration circuit 145 uses one method to compute anoptimized read voltage V_(O) from the count differences D_(A), D_(B),D_(C), and D_(D); and the controller 115 uses another different methodto compute the optimized read voltage V_(O) from the signal and noisecharacteristics 139 and optionally other data that is not available tothe calibration circuit 145.

When the calibration circuit 145 can compute the optimized read voltageV_(O) from the count differences D_(A), D_(B), D_(C), and D_(D)generated during the read operation, the signal and noisecharacteristics can optionally include the optimized read voltage V_(O).Further, the memory device 130 can use the optimized read voltage V_(O)in determining the hard bit data 177 in the data from the memory cellsat the address 135. The soft bit data in the data can be obtained byreading the memory cells with read voltages that are a predeterminedoffset away from the optimized read voltage V_(O). Alternatively, thememory device 130 uses the controller-specified read voltage provided inthe read control parameter in reading the data.

The controller 115 can be configured with more processing power than thecalibration circuit 145 of the integrated circuit memory device 130.Further, the controller 115 can have other signal and noisecharacteristics applicable to the memory cells in the group (e.g., 133,. . . , or 133). Thus, in general, the controller 115 can compute a moreaccurate estimation of the optimized read voltage V_(O) (e.g., for asubsequent read operation, or for a retry of the read operation).

In general, it is not necessary for the calibration circuit 145 toprovide the signal and noise characteristics 139 in the form of adistribution of bit counts over a set of read voltages, or in the formof a distribution of count differences over a set of read voltages. Forexample, the calibration circuit 145 can provide the optimized readvoltage Vo calculated by the calibration circuit 145, as signal andnoise characteristics 139.

The calibration circuit 145 can be configured to generate the signal andnoise characteristics 139 (e.g., the bit counts, or bit countdifferences) as a byproduct of a read operation. The generation of thesignal and noise characteristics 139 can be implemented in theintegrated circuit memory device 130 with little or no impact on thelatency of the read operation in comparison with a typical read withoutthe generation of the signal and noise characteristics 139. Thus, thecalibration circuit 145 can determine signal and noise characteristics139 efficiently as a byproduct of performing a read operation accordingto a command from the controller 115 of the memory sub-system 110.

In general, the calculation of the optimized read voltage V_(O) can beperformed within the memory device 130, or by a controller 115 of thememory sub-system 110 that receives the signal and noise characteristics139 as part of enriched status response from the memory device 130.

The hard bit data 177 can be obtained by applying the optimized readvoltage V_(O) on the group of memory cells and determining the state ofthe memory cells while the memory cells are subjected to the optimizedread voltages V_(O).

The soft bit data 173 can be obtained by applying the read voltages 181and 182 that are offset from the optimized read voltage V_(O) with apredetermined amount. For example, the read voltage 181 is at the offset183 of the predetermined amount lower from the optimized read voltageV_(O); and the read voltage 182 is at the offset 184 of the samepredetermined amount higher from the optimized read voltage V_(O). Amemory cell subjected to the read voltage 181 can have a state that isdifferent from the memory cell subjected to the read voltage 182. Thesoft bit data 173 can include or indicate the XOR result of the dataread from the memory cell using the read voltages 181 and 182. The XORresult shows whether the memory cell subjected to the read voltage 181has the same state as being to the read voltage 182.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a technique to compute an optimized read voltagefrom count differences according to one embodiment. The technique ofFIGS. 4-6 simplifies the computation for calculating the optimized readvoltage V_(O) such that the computation can be implemented using reducedcomputing power and/or circuitry.

The computation illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 can be performed based on thebit counts and count differences illustrated in FIG. 3 for test voltagesV_(A), V_(B), V_(C), V_(D), and V_(E).

In FIG. 4, an operation 201 is performed to compare the two center countdifferences D_(B) and D_(C).

If D_(B) is greater than D_(C), it can be assumed that a minimal can befound on the higher half of the test voltage region between V_(C) toV_(E). Thus, operation 203 is performed to compare the lower one D_(C)of the two center bit count differences with its other neighbor D_(D).

If D_(C) is no greater than its other neighbor D_(D), D_(C) is nogreater than its neighbors D_(B) and D_(D). Thus, it can be inferredthat a minimal can be found between the test voltages V_(C) and V_(D).Based on a ratio between the differences of D_(C) from its neighborsD_(B) and D_(D), an estimate of the location of the optimized readvoltage V_(O) can be determined using a technique similar to thatillustrated in FIG. 5.

If D_(C) is greater than its other neighbor D_(D), it can be assumedthat a minimal can be in the highest test voltage interval between V_(D)and V_(E). Thus, an estimate of the location of the optimized readvoltage V_(O) can be determined using a technique similar to thatillustrated in FIG. 6, based on a ratio of count differences D_(D) andD_(C) that are closest to the test voltages V_(D) and V_(E).

Similarly, if D_(B) is no greater than D_(C), it can be assumed that aminimal can be found on the lower half of the test voltage regionbetween V_(A) to V_(C). Thus, operation 205 is performed to compare thelower one D_(B) of the two center bit count differences with its otherneighbor D_(A).

If D_(B) is less than its other neighbor D_(A), D_(B) is no greater thanits neighbors D_(A) and D_(C). Thus, it can be inferred that a minimalcan be found between the test voltages V_(B) and V_(C). Based on a ratiobetween the differences of D_(B) from its neighbors D_(A) and D_(C), anestimate of the location of the optimized read voltage V_(O) can bedetermined using a technique illustrated in FIG. 5.

If D_(B) is no less than its other neighbor D_(A), it can be assumedthat a minimal can be in the lowest test voltage interval between V_(A)and V_(B). Thus, an estimate of the location of the optimized readvoltage V_(O) can be determined using a technique illustrated in FIG. 6,based on a ratio of the count differences D_(A) and D_(B) that areclosest to the test voltages V_(A) and V_(B).

FIG. 5 illustrates a technique to estimate the location of the optimizedread voltage V_(O) when a center count difference D_(B) is no greaterthan its neighbors D_(A) and D_(C).

Since the count difference D_(B) is the difference of bit counts C_(B)and C_(C) at test voltages V_(B) and V_(C), the location of theoptimized read voltage V_(O) is estimated to be within the voltageinterval or gap between V_(B) and V_(C).

When the increases from the center count difference D_(B) to itsneighbors D_(A) and D_(C) are substantially equal to each other, theoptimized read voltage V_(O) is estimated at the midpoint between V_(B)and V_(C).

The ratio between the increases from the center count difference D_(B)to its neighbors D_(A) and D_(C) can be mapped in a logarithmic scale toa line scale of division between the test voltages V_(B) and V_(C).

For example, the ratio (D_(A)−D_(B))/(D_(C)−D_(B)) of 1 is mapped to alocation of the optimized read voltage at the midpoint between the testvoltages V_(B) and V_(C).

The ratio (D_(A)−D_(B))/(D_(C)−D_(B)) of ½ is mapped to a location ofthe optimized read voltage at the midpoint between the test voltagesV_(B) and V_(C) with an offset of a fixed increment towards V_(B). Forexample, the increment can be one tenth of the voltage gap between V_(B)and V_(C).

Similarly, the ratio (D_(A)−D_(B))/(D_(C)−D_(B)) of ¼, ⅛, or 1/16 ismapped to a location of the optimized read voltage at the midpointbetween the test voltages V_(B) and V_(C) with an offset of two, three,or four increments towards V_(B). A ratio (D_(A)−D_(B))/(D_(C)−D_(B))smaller than 1/16 can be mapped to a location of the optimized readvoltage at V_(B).

Similarly, the ratio (D_(C)−D_(B))/(D_(A)−D_(B)) of ½, ¼, ⅛, or 1/16 ismapped to a location of the optimized read voltage at the midpointbetween the test voltages V_(B) and V_(C) with an offset of one, two,three, or four increments towards V_(C). A ratio(D_(C)−D_(B))/(D_(A)−D_(B)) smaller than 1/16 can be mapped to alocation of the optimized read voltage at V_(C).

The technique of FIG. 5 can be implemented via setting a coarseestimation of the optimized read voltage at V_(B) (or V_(C)) andadjusting the coarse estimation through applying the increment accordingto comparison of the increase (D_(A)−D_(B)) of the count differenceD_(B) to the count difference D_(A) with fractions or multiples of theincrease (D_(C)−D_(B)) of the count difference DB to the countdifference D_(C). The fractions or multiples of the increase(D_(C)−D_(B)) in a logarithmic scale can be computed through iterativedivision or multiplication by two, which can be implemented efficientlythrough bit-wise left shift or right shift operations.

For example, the initial estimate of the optimized voltage V_(O) can beset at the test voltage V_(B). The increase (D_(A)−D_(B)) can becompared with (D_(C)−D_(B))/16, which can be computed through shiftingthe bits of (D_(C)−D_(B)). If (D_(A)−D_(B)) is greater than(D_(C)−D_(B))/16, the increment of one tenth of the gap between V_(B)and V_(C) can be added to the estimate of the optimized voltage V_(O).Subsequently, (D_(A)−D_(B)) is compared to (D_(C)−D_(B))/8, which can becalculated by shifting the bits of (D_(C)−D_(B))/16. If (D_(A)−D_(B)) isgreater than (D_(C)−D_(B))/8, the same increment of one tenth of the gapbetween V_(B) and V_(C) is further added to the estimation of theoptimized voltage V_(O). Similarly, (D_(A)−D_(B)) is compared to(D_(C)−D_(B))/4, (D_(C)−D_(B))/2, (D_(C)−D_(B)), (D_(C)−D_(B))*2,(D_(C)−D_(B))*4, (D_(C)−D_(B))*8, and (D_(C)−D_(B))*16 one afteranother. If (D_(A)−D_(B)) is greater than any of these scaled versionsof (D_(C)−D_(B)) in a comparison, the same increment is added to theestimate. After the series of comparisons, the resulting estimate can beused as the optimized voltage V_(O).

FIG. 6 illustrates a technique to estimate the location of the optimizedread voltage V_(O) when a side count difference D_(A) is smaller thanits next two count differences D_(B) and D_(C), but one of its neighborshas not been measured (e.g., a count difference between the test voltageV_(A) and a further test voltage that is lower than V_(A)).

Since the count difference D_(A) is the lowest among count differencesD_(A), D_(B) and D_(C), the optimized voltage V_(O) is estimated to bein the test voltage interval gap corresponding to the count differenceD_(A). Since the count difference D_(A) is the difference of bit countsC_(A) and C_(B) at test voltages V_(A) and V_(B), the location of theoptimized read voltage V_(O) is estimated to be within the voltageinterval or gap between V_(A) and V_(B).

In FIG. 6, the location of the optimized read voltage V_(O) within thevoltage interval or gap between V_(A) and V_(B) is based on a ratio ofthe count differences D_(A) and D_(B). The ratio D_(A)/D_(B) in alogarithmic scale is mapped to the linear distribution of the optimizedread voltage V_(O) between V_(A) and V_(B).

For example, the voltage interval or gap between V_(A) and V_(B) can bedivided into five equal increments. The initial estimate of theoptimized voltage V_(O) can be set at the test voltage V_(B). The countdifference D_(A) can be compared to scaled versions of the countdifference D_(B) sequentially, such as D_(B), D_(B)/2, and D_(B)/4. Ifthe count difference D_(A) is smaller than any of the scaled versions ofthe count difference D_(B) in a comparison, the estimate is reduced bythe increment for moving towards the test voltage V_(A).

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate techniques to search for an optimized read voltageaccording to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a scenario where a distribution 157 of the countdifferences D_(A), D_(B), D_(C), and D_(D) measured in the test voltagerange V_(A) to V_(E) indicates that the optimized read voltage islocated outside of the test voltage range V_(A) to V_(E).

In some implementations, the calibration circuit 145 of the memorydevice 130 is configured to measure the bit counts by reading atdifferent voltages applied via boost modulation. The technique of boostmodulation can limit the range of test voltages that can be appliedduring a single calibration operation. Thus, when the optimized readvoltage is outside of the test voltage range V_(A) to V_(E), the memorydevice 130 may not be able to read outside of the test voltage rangeV_(A) to V_(E) without restarting the calibration/read operation.

In FIG. 7, the distribution 157 of the count differences D_(A), D_(B),D_(C), and D_(D) measured in the test voltage range V_(A) to V_(E) canbe used by a read manager 113 of the memory device 130 to calculate alikely location V′_(C) where the distribution 157 is determined to reacha minimum 155. For example, an extrapolation technique can be used toestimate the location V′_(C) from the count differences D_(A) to D_(D).

The location V′_(C) identifies a direction for searching the optimizedread voltage (e.g., whether in a direction of voltages lower than V_(A),or in a direction of voltages higher than V_(E).)

Further, the location V′_(C) identifies the size of a step to search forthe optimized read voltage. The size of the search step determines thegap between the previous estimate V_(C) of the location of the optimizedread voltage and the current, improved estimate V′_(C) of the locationof the optimized read voltage.

Based on the current, improved estimate V′_(C) of the optimized readvoltage, the read manager 113 of the memory device 130 can restart thecalibration/read operation, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 illustrates the distribution 157′ of the count differencesD′_(A), D′_(B), D′_(C), and D′_(D) measured in the test voltage rangeV′_(A) to V′_(E) centered at the improved estimate V′_(C) of theoptimized read voltage.

Since the distribution 157′ indicates that the optimized read voltage iswithin the test voltage range V′_(A) to V′_(E), the techniques of FIGS.4-6 can be used to calculate the optimized read voltage V_(O)efficiently.

Alternatively, the optimized read voltage V_(O) can be computed moreaccurately using the combination of both sets of count differences D_(A)to D_(D) and D′_(A) to D′_(D), as illustrated in FIG. 9. In someinstance, the optimized read voltage V_(O) can be best calculated usinga portion of the count differences D_(A) to D_(D) and a portion of thecount differences D′_(A) to D′_(D). For example, the optimized readvoltage V_(O) can be calculated from D′_(C), D′_(D) and D_(A) when theoptimized read voltage V_(O) is between V′_(C) and V_(B). For example,the optimized read voltage V_(O) can be calculated from D′_(D), D_(A)and D_(B) when the optimized read voltage V_(O) is between V′_(D) andV_(C).

The size of the search step can be characterized by the gap betweenV′_(C) and V_(C) (or V′_(C) and V_(A)). Optionally, the size of thesearch step can be estimated as a multiple of the voltage gap orinterval G between adjacent test voltages (e.g.,G=V_(B)−V_(A)=V_(C)−V_(B)=V_(D)−V_(C)=V_(E)−V_(D)=V′_(B)−V′_(A)=V′_(C)−V′_(B)=V′_(D)−V′_(C)=V′_(E)−V′_(D)).Such an arrangement can simplify the computation of the optimized readvoltage V_(O) from the combination of the count differences D_(A) toD_(D) and D′_(A) to D′_(D).

In some instances, the test voltage ranges V′_(A) to V′_(E) and V_(A) toV_(E) can partially overlap with each other. When the size of the searchstep is a multiple of the voltage gap G (e.g., G=V_(B)−V_(A)), some ofthe test voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E) can be the same as some of the testvoltages V_(A) to V_(E). Thus, boost modulation operations to read bitcounts at some of the test voltages can be skipped, or be repeated forimproved accuracy when portions are measured in parallel; and thecorresponding bit count(s) measured in the previous calibrationoperation can be used, or be averaged with the current measurements forimprove accuracy.

FIG. 10 shows a method to search for an optimized read voltage forreading a group of memory cells according to one embodiment. The methodof FIG. 10 can be performed by processing logic that can includehardware (e.g., processing device, circuitry, dedicated logic,programmable logic, microcode, hardware of a device, integrated circuit,etc.), software/firmware (e.g., instructions run or executed on aprocessing device), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, themethod of FIG. 10 is performed at least in part by the controller 115 ofFIG. 1, or processing logic in the memory device 130 of FIG. 2. Althoughshown in a particular sequence or order, unless otherwise specified, theorder of the processes can be modified. Thus, the illustratedembodiments should be understood only as examples, and the illustratedprocesses can be performed in a different order, and some processes canbe performed in parallel. Additionally, one or more processes can beomitted in various embodiments. Thus, not all processes are required inevery embodiment. Other process flows are possible.

For example, the method of FIG. 10 can be implemented in a computingsystem of FIG. 1 with a memory device of FIG. 2 and signal noisecharacteristics illustrated in FIG. 3 with some of the operationsillustrated in FIGS. 4-9.

At block 301, a memory device 130 receives a command identifying a groupof memory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) in the memory device 130.

At block 303, the memory device 130 measures, in response to thecommand, a first set of signal and noise characteristics of the group ofmemory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) by reading the group of memorycells (e.g., group 131 or 133) at a first plurality of test voltages(e.g., V_(A) to V_(E)).

For example, the memory device 130 can read the group of memory cells atthe first plurality of test voltages V_(A) to V_(E) by initially rampingup to a test voltage (e.g., V_(C)) in the first plurality of testvoltages V_(A) to V_(E) to read the group of memory cells and then boostmodulating from the applied test voltage (e.g., V_(C)) to other testvoltages (e.g., V_(A), V_(B), V_(D), V_(E)) in the first plurality oftest voltages V_(A) to V_(E) to further read the group of memory cells(e.g., group 131 or 133). In some implementations, different sub-groupsof memory cells in the group (e.g., 131 or 133) are boost modulated todifferent test voltages (e.g., V_(A), V_(B), V_(D), V_(E) respectively)for measuring in parallel. The measurements of a sub-group can be scaledto determine the measurement of the group. The memory device 130 canread the group of memory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) at a voltagewithin the range of the first plurality of test voltages V_(A) to V_(E)via boost modulation but may not be able to boost modulate to a voltagethat is outside of the range V_(A) to V_(E) without restarting theread/calibration operation.

At block 305, the memory device 130 determines, based on the first setof signal and noise characteristics, whether an optimized read voltageV_(O) is within a range of the first plurality of test voltages (e.g.,V_(A) to V_(E)).

If, at block 306, the memory device 130 determines that the optimizedread voltage V_(O) is outside of the range (e.g., V_(A) to V_(E)), thememory device 130 determines, at block 307 and based on the first set ofsignal and noise characteristics, an estimate (e.g., V′_(C)) of theoptimized read voltage V_(O).

For example, the memory device 130 can determine the estimate (e.g.,V′_(C)) of the optimized read voltage V_(O) by computing the estimate(e.g., V′_(C)) using an extrapolation technique.

At block 309, the memory device 130 measures a second set of signal andnoise characteristics of the group of memory cells (e.g., group 131 or133) by reading the group of memory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) at asecond plurality of test voltages (e.g., V′_(A) to V′_(E)) configuredaccording to the estimate (e.g., V′_(C)) of the optimized read voltageV_(O).

For example, the memory device 130 can read the group of memory cells atthe second plurality of test voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E) by initiallyramping up to a test voltage (e.g., V′_(C)) in the second plurality oftest voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E) to read the group of memory cells andthen boost modulating to other test voltages (e.g., V′_(A), V′_(B),V′_(D), V′_(E)) in the second plurality of test voltages V′_(A) toV′_(E) to further read the group of memory cells (e.g., group 131 or133). In some implementations, different sub-groups of memory cells inthe group (e.g., 131 or 133) are boost modulated to different testvoltages (e.g., V′_(A), V′_(B), V′_(D), V′_(E) respectively) formeasuring in parallel. The measurements of a sub-group can be scaled todetermine the measurement of the group. The memory device 130 can readthe group of memory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) via boost modulationwithin the range of the second plurality of test voltages V′_(A) toV′_(E) but may not be able to boost modulation to a voltage that isoutside of the range V′_(A) to V′_(E) without restarting theread/calibration operation.

For example, the first plurality of test voltages V_(A) to V_(E) can beconfigured with a predetermined gap G between adjacent test voltages inthe first plurality of test voltages V_(A) to V_(E); the secondplurality of test voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E) can be configured with thesame predetermined gap G between adjacent test voltages in the secondplurality of test voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E); and a difference betweenone (e.g., V′_(C)of the second plurality of test voltages V′_(A) toV′_(E) and one (e.g., V_(C)) of the first plurality of test voltagesV_(A) to V_(E) is configured to be a multiple of the predetermined gapG.

At block 311, the memory device 130 computes the optimized read voltageV_(O) based at least in part on the second set of signal and noisecharacteristics.

Optionally, the memory device 130 computes the optimized read voltageV_(O) using at least a portion of the second set of signal and noisecharacteristics and at least a portion of the first set of signal andnoise characteristics.

For example, the optimized read voltage V_(O) can be computed using aninterpolation technique.

For example, the first set of signal and noise characteristics caninclude count differences D_(A) to D_(D). The second set of signal andnoise characteristics can include count differences D′_(A) to D′_(D).The interpolation can be based on count differences D_(A) to D_(D) andD′_(A) to D′_(D), or a portion of D_(A) to D_(D) and a portion of D′_(A)to D′_(D).

At block 313, the memory device 130 retrieves data from the group ofmemory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133) using the optimized read voltageV_(O).

For example, the memory device 130 can boost modulating to the optimizedread voltage V_(O) from an applied test voltage in the second pluralityof test voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E) to read the data from the group ofmemory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133).

If, at block 306, the memory device 130 determines that the optimizedread voltage V_(O) is outside of the range (e.g., V_(A) to V_(E)), thememory device 130 computes, at block 317 and based on the first set ofsignal and noise characteristics, the optimized read voltage V_(O),which can be used to retrieve, at block 313, data from the group ofmemory cells (e.g., group 131 or 133).

In some implementations, after measuring, at block 309, the second setof signal and noise characteristics, the memory device 130 can repeatthe determination (e.g., 305 and/or 306) of whether the optimized readvoltage V_(O) is within the current test voltage range (e.g., the rangeof the second plurality of test voltages V′_(A) to V′_(E)). If theoptimized read voltage V_(O) is still outside of the current testvoltage range (e.g., V′_(A) to V′_(E)), a further improved estimate ofthe optimized read voltage V_(O) can be determined to measure a furtherset of signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cells ina way similar to blocks 307 and 309 until the optimized read voltageV_(O) is found to be within the current test voltage range.Subsequently, the optimized read voltage V_(O) can be computed based atleast in part on the signal and noise characteristics measured using thetest voltages within the current test voltage range.

A non-transitory computer storage medium can be used to storeinstructions of the firmware of a memory sub-system (e.g., 110). Whenthe instructions are executed by the controller 115 and/or theprocessing device 117, the instructions cause the controller 115, theprocessing device 117, and/or a separate hardware module to perform themethods discussed above.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example machine of a computer system 400 withinwhich a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any oneor more of the methodologies discussed herein, can be executed. In someembodiments, the computer system 400 can correspond to a host system(e.g., the host system 120 of FIG. 1) that includes, is coupled to, orutilizes a memory sub-system (e.g., the memory sub-system 110 of FIG. 1)or can be used to perform the operations of a read manager 113 (e.g., toexecute instructions to perform operations corresponding to the readmanager 113 described with reference to FIGS. 1-9). In alternativeembodiments, the machine can be connected (e.g., networked) to othermachines in a LAN, an intranet, an extranet, and/or the Internet. Themachine can operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine inclient-server network environment, as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer(or distributed) network environment, or as a server or a client machinein a cloud computing infrastructure or environment.

The machine can be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box(STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a webappliance, a server, a network router, a switch or bridge, or anymachine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential orotherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further,while a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also betaken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointlyexecute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one ormore of the methodologies discussed herein.

The example computer system 400 includes a processing device 402, a mainmemory 404 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic randomaccess memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM(RDRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storagesystem 418, which communicate with each other via a bus 430 (which caninclude multiple buses).

Processing device 402 represents one or more general-purpose processingdevices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, or thelike. More particularly, the processing device can be a complexinstruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction setcomputing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW)microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets, orprocessors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Processingdevice 402 can also be one or more special-purpose processing devicessuch as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP),network processor, or the like. The processing device 402 is configuredto execute instructions 426 for performing the operations and stepsdiscussed herein. The computer system 400 can further include a networkinterface device 408 to communicate over the network 420.

The data storage system 418 can include a machine-readable storagemedium 424 (also known as a computer-readable medium) on which is storedone or more sets of instructions 426 or software embodying any one ormore of the methodologies or functions described herein. Theinstructions 426 can also reside, completely or at least partially,within the main memory 404 and/or within the processing device 402during execution thereof by the computer system 400, the main memory 404and the processing device 402 also constituting machine-readable storagemedia. The machine-readable storage medium 424, data storage system 418,and/or main memory 404 can correspond to the memory sub-system 110 ofFIG. 1.

In one embodiment, the instructions 426 include instructions toimplement functionality corresponding to a read manager 113 (e.g., theread manager 113 described with reference to FIGS. 1-9). While themachine-readable storage medium 424 is shown in an example embodiment tobe a single medium, the term “machine-readable storage medium” should betaken to include a single medium or multiple media that store the one ormore sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable storage medium”shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing orencoding a set of instructions for execution by the machine and thatcause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of thepresent disclosure. The term “machine-readable storage medium” shallaccordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-statememories, optical media, and magnetic media.

Some portions of the preceding detailed descriptions have been presentedin terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations ondata bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are the ways used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their workto others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally,conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operations leading to adesired result. The operations are those requiring physicalmanipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily,these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capableof being stored, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It hasproven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, torefer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters,terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. The presentdisclosure can refer to the action and processes of a computer system,or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transformsdata represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computersystem's registers and memories into other data similarly represented asphysical quantities within the computer system memories or registers orother such information storage systems.

The present disclosure also relates to an apparatus for performing theoperations herein. This apparatus can be specially constructed for theintended purposes, or it can include a general purpose computerselectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored inthe computer. Such a computer program can be stored in a computerreadable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of diskincluding floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-opticaldisks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs,EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable forstoring electronic instructions, each coupled to a computer system bus.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purposesystems can be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it can prove convenient to construct a more specializedapparatus to perform the method. The structure for a variety of thesesystems will appear as set forth in the description below. In addition,the present disclosure is not described with reference to any particularprogramming language. It will be appreciated that a variety ofprogramming languages can be used to implement the teachings of thedisclosure as described herein.

The present disclosure can be provided as a computer program product, orsoftware, that can include a machine-readable medium having storedthereon instructions, which can be used to program a computer system (orother electronic devices) to perform a process according to the presentdisclosure. A machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storinginformation in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). In someembodiments, a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) mediumincludes a machine (e.g., a computer) readable storage medium such as aread only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magnetic diskstorage media, optical storage media, flash memory components, etc.

In this description, various functions and operations are described asbeing performed by or caused by computer instructions to simplifydescription. However, those skilled in the art will recognize what ismeant by such expressions is that the functions result from execution ofthe computer instructions by one or more controllers or processors, suchas a microprocessor. Alternatively, or in combination, the functions andoperations can be implemented using special purpose circuitry, with orwithout software instructions, such as using Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC) or Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).Embodiments can be implemented using hardwired circuitry withoutsoftware instructions, or in combination with software instructions.Thus, the techniques are limited neither to any specific combination ofhardware circuitry and software, nor to any particular source for theinstructions executed by the data processing system.

In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the disclosure have beendescribed with reference to specific example embodiments thereof. Itwill be evident that various modifications can be made thereto withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of embodiments of thedisclosure as set forth in the following claims. The specification anddrawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative senserather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device, comprising: memory cells; a calibrationcircuit; and a logic circuit coupled to the memory cells and thecalibration circuit and configured to: receive first data representativeof first signal and noise characteristics of the memory cells read atfirst test voltages; determine that an optimized read voltage is outsideof a range of the first test voltages; compute, based on the firstsignal and noise characteristics, an estimate of the optimized readvoltage; and instruct the calibration circuit to measure, according tothe estimate, second signal and noise characteristics of the memorycells.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: an integratedcircuit package configured to enclose the memory cells, the calibrationcircuits and the logic circuit; wherein the logic circuit is furtherconfigured to measure, using the calibration circuit, the first signaland noise characteristics.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein thecalibration circuit is configured to apply at least a subset of thefirst test voltages to the memory cells via boost modulation to measurethe first signal and noise characteristics.
 4. The device of claim 3,wherein the calibration circuit is configured to apply at least a subsetof second test voltages to the memory cells via boost modulation tomeasure the second signal and noise characteristics.
 5. The device ofclaim 4, wherein the logic circuit is configured to performextrapolation to compute the estimate of the optimized read voltage. 6.The device of claim 5, wherein the first test voltages are separatedfrom each other by a predetermined gap; the second test voltages areseparated from each other by the predetermined gap; and the logiccircuit is configured to identify the second test voltages such that adifference between one of the second test voltages and one of the firsttest voltages is a multiple of the predetermined gap. The device ofclaim 6, wherein the estimate of the optimized read voltage is computedbased at least in part on the first signal and noise characteristics. 8.The device of claim 6, wherein the logic circuit is configured toperform interpolation to compute the optimized read voltage based on thefirst signal and noise characteristics over the first test voltages andthe second signal and noise characteristics over the second testvoltages.
 9. The device of claim 6, wherein the first signal and noisecharacteristics are configured to identify first count differences overthe first test voltages; the second signal and noise characteristics areconfigured to identify second count differences over the second testvoltages; and each of the first count differences and the second countdifferences is a difference between two counts obtained at two adjacenttest voltages respectively, wherein each of the two counts identifies,among the memory cells, a number of first memory cells that, when readat a respective test voltage, provides a predetermined bit value.
 10. Amethod, comprising: receiving, in a device having memory cells and acalibration circuit, first data representative of first signal and noisecharacteristics of the memory cells read at first test voltages;determining, by the device, that an optimized read voltage is outside ofa range of the first test voltages; computing, by the device based onthe first signal and noise characteristics, an estimate of the optimizedread voltage; and instructing, by the device, the calibration circuit tomeasure, according to the estimate, second signal and noisecharacteristics of the memory cells.
 11. The method of claim 10, whereinthe device has an integrated circuit package configured to enclose thememory cells, and the calibration circuits; and the method furthercomprises: instructing, by the device, the calibration circuit tomeasure the first signal and noise characteristics.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the first signal and noise characteristics areconfigured to identify first count differences over the first testvoltages; the second signal and noise characteristics are configured toidentify second count differences over second test voltages; and each ofthe first count differences and the second count differences is adifference between two counts obtained at two adjacent test voltagesrespectively, wherein each of the two counts identifies, among thememory cells, a number of first memory cells that, when read at arespective test voltage, provides a predetermined bit value.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising: applying, by the calibrationcircuit, at least a subset of the first test voltages to the memorycells via boost modulation in measuring the first signal and noisecharacteristics; and applying, by the calibration circuit, at least asubset of the second test voltages to the memory cells via boostmodulation to measure the second signal and noise characteristics. 14.The method of claim 13, further comprising: performing extrapolation tocompute the estimate of the optimized read voltage.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the first test voltages are separated from each otherby a predetermined gap; the second test voltages are separated from eachother by the predetermined gap; and the second test voltages are suchthat a difference between one of the second test voltages and one of thefirst test voltages is a multiple of the predetermined gap.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the estimate of the optimized read voltageis computed based at least in part on the first signal and noisecharacteristics; and the method further comprises: computing theoptimized read voltage based on the first signal and noisecharacteristics over the first test voltages and the second signal andnoise characteristics over the second test voltages.
 17. An apparatus,comprising: a processing device; and a memory device enclosed in anintegrated circuit die and connected to the processing device, thememory device having: memory cells; a calibration circuit; and a logiccircuit coupled to the memory cells and the calibration circuit andconfigured to, in response to a command from the processing device:instruct the calibration circuit to measure first signal and noisecharacteristics of the memory cells at first test voltages; determinethat an optimized read voltage is outside of a range of the first testvoltages; compute, based on the first signal and noise characteristics,an estimate of the optimized read voltage; determine, based on theestimate of the optimized read voltage, second test voltages; andinstruct the calibration circuit to measure second signal and noisecharacteristics of the memory cells at the second test voltages.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the first signal and noisecharacteristics are configured to identify first count differences overthe first test voltages; the second signal and noise characteristics areconfigured to identify second count differences over second testvoltages; and each of the first count differences and the second countdifferences is a difference between two counts obtained at two adjacenttest voltages respectively, wherein each of the two counts identifies,among the memory cells, a number of first memory cells that, when readat a respective test voltage, provides a predetermined bit value. 19.The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the calibration circuit is configuredto: apply at least a subset of the first test voltages to the memorycells via boost modulation in measuring the first signal and noisecharacteristics; and apply at least a subset of the second test voltagesto the memory cells via boost modulation to measure the second signaland noise characteristics.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein thelogic circuit is further configured to: compute, via extrapolation, theestimate of the optimized read voltage; and compute, via interpolation,the optimized read voltage based on the first signal and noisecharacteristics over the first test voltages and the second signal andnoise characteristics over the second test voltages.